Shackles
by KyuTeaPie
Summary: (Spoilers for Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies!) Simon Blackquill saw no light in his future and the shackles that hugged his wrists for 7 years were a constant reminder of that. That is, until an old friend had something different to say. (Smut in 2nd Chapter)
1. Chapter 1

For a long time now, Simon Blackquill had been envious of his hawk, Taka. He watched the elegant bird, observing the street below them; its talons perched upon the apartment balcony. Taka wasn't here because Blackquill had commanded him to stay, but because he wanted to, and he could. Because Taka was a bird, he was free to choose who deserved his loyalty and friendship without penalty. What loyalty ever gave Blackquill was a 7-year death sentence in hell.

Blackquill took note of his new surroundings, a small apartment located not too far from the Wright Anything Agency. Aside from the table where he sat, there was a green sofa and several unpacked boxes, marked to be from somewhere in Europe. From the kitchen, the slams of cabinets and drawers echoed throughout the apartment.

"Give me a moment! I'll find something, I promise!" A woman's voice hurriedly called out from the kitchen.

After several moments, a warm, familiar face came trotting out with a tray of rice crackers and tea. A chipper smile was spread between her cheeks as she set the tray down in front of him. Blackquill peeked down to find a scattered bowl of rice crackers and a small, French teapot before him. The hot water in the teapot was barely stained by the tea leaves, a sign that his host had hastily prepared the concoction.

"This is just as unnecessary as all those objections you spit out in court, Cykes-dono." Blackquill remarked, looking up at his old friend. Athena was still wearing her canary yellow office suit, not even taking the time to change since coming home with him.

"Sorry if the rice crackers taste like crap. I um… took them from the office since they were about to go bad. "Athena let out a slight laugh, nervously stroking her burnt orange hair.

"Please don't prosecute her for food poisoning! They actually expired months ago!" A small, robotic voice chimed in from Athena's neck, adding to her chagrin.

"You mustn't be too generous to a fault Cykes-dono. You can barely afford groceries, yet you insist on kidnapping me from your office, with the goal to feed me." He let out a small grin, picking up a rice cracker for himself and daringly took a bite to appease his host. Much to his relief, the taste was much better than the questionable gruel that they offered him daily in prison. "Regardless Athena, all I really wanted to ask from you was counsel for Aura."

Athena sat down across from him and gave him a slight smile. "Well, of course I'll take her case, but this is the very least I could do for you, after… well everything you've done for me!" Her sharp blue eyes met with his, full of naïve sincerity. "But weren't you the prosecutor assigned to her case? That means we'll be…."

"You just wanted the rookie lawyer for your sis, so you get an easy trial!" The robotic voice interrupted a slightly disappointed look on Athena's face.

"I'll have you know, I don't underestimate your abilities as a lawyer. But just because she's my sister doesn't mean I'll be easy to forgive her for her sins." A smirk began to grow on Blackquill's lips.

Athena began to tap a finger on her chin, in thought. "Well, I suppose. But at the very least, what she did was for your sake. You wouldn't be here today if she didn't do what she did. After all, aren't you the only family she has left? Anyhow, what matters most is that you're free now!"

"Yes...I guess I'm free." Blackquill nodded in a silent agreement, but it was far from the truth. Though his name had just been cleared of any wrongdoing, the eyes of the public saw differently. The name "Simon Blackquill" would always be infamous.

_A heartless manipulator. Cold-blooded. Murderer. _

Especially in public, he felt the eyes of others tracing his every movement as if he was about to commit a murder. He did not need Athena's special abilities to feel their terror and anger toward him, nor did he warrant a further explanation as to why he was treated differently from others.

Blackquill watched his hostess tip a pour of tea into his cup as he reached for another cracker. "Hmph. Being free has its benefits, but I miss having to not worry about bills or even having to get dinner. Best of all, I even lived there for free. "

Athena poured herself a cup, before responding. "So, where will you end up staying once Aura's convicted? Didn't she also live at the Space Center?"

Blackquill looked down to the bottom of his teacup, to contemplate his answer. It was an issue that had troubled him for a while now. "Obviously I can't stay at the space center since I don't work there. Right now, the prosecutor's office is paying for a room at the Gatewater. I still have a day or two until I'll have to a find more permanent living situation. I've seen a few places, but..." He paused to reconsider his words. "...there were none I particularly liked."

But truth was, none of them had accepted his application, upon finding out that he had once been a convict.

"Really? That's a shame, not even a single place? Hmm…" Abruptly, Athena smacked her right fist into her left palm. "Well, why don't you just stay here with me, Simon! I really don't mind at all." She energetically offered, not an ounce of hesitation in her voice.

Simon's eyes flashed wide at the proposal; it was a lot to ask from her and perhaps too much. Definitely too much. "Cykes-Dono, didn't I just tell you to stop being overly generous? Besides, I can't ask that of you. Don't you need your own privacy?" He sighed, leaning his arm on his knee.

"Privacy? Ha! I really don't mind, just as long as I can help you out." Athena said through a cheeky grin. "There's only one bedroom, but I just got the couch! Doesn't it look cozy enough to sleep on?"

"Actually, she found the couch thrown out by the office and had Apollo bring it here. It might have belonged to this homeless guy down the street!" The robotic voice added, much to Athena's dismay.

"S-Shut up Widget! I got this couch fair and square! And I cleaned it pretty damn good!" Athena growled, arguing with the small robot.

Blackquill chuckled to himself, observing her. "Just as ever the idealistic princess. You haven't changed much since you were a kid. Don't you fret your pretty little yourself about my own matters. I have another appointment for a room in..,"

"But Simon, I'm serious about this." Athena interrupted. "Honestly, it wasn't much of an effort for me to find this apartment. I'm actually starting to think it's something else that's preventing you from getting an apartment and I'm sure it's not a no-hawk policy. It's what they think about you, isn't it? _About your conviction_."

Like a sharp blade, her words had actually struck the truth. He gazed at her ardent blue eyes, fearlessly staring back at him. He thought foolish of her, though she seemed to understand reality more than he did.

"Imagine what your neighbors would say when they find out ex-convict lives down the hall?" He muttered, a dark and trembling tone in his voice. "You'd lose this place in a heartbeat. It would kill me if my past were to come and haunt you like that."

"Then how about we just don't tell them about the past? All the paperwork is under my name, so they don't even have to bother looking at your records." Athena gave him an assuring smile. "Besides, shouldn't you be thinking about the present, instead of the past?" Her fingers moved up to his hair, curiously stroking it.

He let out a light laugh, allowing Athena play with his hair. "The tides of time certainly have passed through. Perhaps they've affected you the most. Out of all things to see outside of my cell, I didn't expect Cykes-sensei's princess to grow up as much as she did."

"Simon, I had to, so I could free from your cage." Athena said as her fingers followed the strands to his cheekbones, where dark shadows lay rest under his eyes. With her touch, she attempted to rub them away, to no avail. "But if anyone's really changed Simon, I think it's you. I don't think a therapy session could even begin to evaluate how much emotional damage you've sustained. It's physically taxing you as well, like you haven't slept well in years or had adequate nutrition."

"Silence." Blackquill growled, jerking to the side to get Athena's hand way from him. "I simply came to ask for defense counsel for Aura. I'm sure my appearance has nothing to do with that."

"Well Simon, to be truthful with you, this whole time you've been talking to me I couldn't stop hearing some sort despair you have in your heart. I'm thinking it's not just about Aura's trial or finding a place to live. Like you've been living with this despair for years, but it still hasn't gone away." Athena gave him a concerned look. "Simon...Do you actually feel free?"

At times, Athena's ability was not just a curse for herself, but for others as well. Blackquill knew this all too much. But at the same time, no one else really had come close in understanding out how he really felt, not even himself. She must have thought a lot about him, and the heavy damages of the past seven years.

He looked down at his wrists, his dark shadowed eyes focused on the marks that his shackles had left on them after 7 long years. "You know, I can actually still feel the shackles. They were so cold, so inhumane. They didn't just limit my movement but…everything. Even now, they still limit me, from doing the most simplest of things like finding a home or making new friends."

"Then I'll have to fix that, won't I Simon? After all, not even a samurai can fight if there are heavy chains bringing him down." Her soft hand curled itself around his. "At least, let me try to help you. It's what my mother would've wanted me to do and what I want to do now. Especially after everything you've done for me."

Blackquill sighed, his dark, deep eyes meeting hers at the middle. Athena was persistent, almost to a fault, but everything she did was for his benefit. At the very least, she would be more tolerable than others. "Fine, Cykes-dono. I'll stay here, but until I can find a more permanent place. I hate to burden you any further." He finally answered in defeat.

"Tres bien!" Athena beamed, as Widget flashed a green smile in unison. "Since it's obvious that Aura will be gone for a while, I want to show you that I'm here for you too. But let's hurry up and head down to the hardware store before they close." Athena said, as she got up from the coffee table and began stretching her legs.

"Hardware store? For what exactly?" Blackquill lifted a confused brow.

Athena eased her body and turned her head to the hawk on the balcony. The sun had finally begun to withdraw behind the bird, Taka's eyes shut for a quick nap. "Well if you're going to live here now, I'm sure Taka will be staying around too. He'll need a perch, won't he? We can make one tonight if we hurry!"

"B-but Cykes-dono, that's too much work. Can't we just go to a pet store?"

"Of course not! The one's at pet stores come with a cage, and of course we shouldn't cage up a hawk all day. It would depress him, you know?" Athena looked down toward Blackquill, giving him a big smile.

Blackquill stood up and returned her smile, though his eyes fixated on her instead of Taka. His breath remained steady, cautious to say a word. Somehow in Athena's company, the dark troubles that plagued him for 7 years had just disappeared as if a bright, yellow sun had chased it away for a moment. Perhaps it was the start of something new.

"Thank you, Athena." He whispered, placing a small kiss onto her cheek.


	2. Chapter 2

_12:00 AM_

Blackquill quietly entered the dark, small apartment more exhausted than usual. He had spent nearly the entire week preparing for an upcoming case, working late hours to complete his preparations. This night was no exception, despite an effort to come home a bit earlier. In fact, it had been so late, that Taka had actually had failed to greet him at the bottom of the apartment complex. After all, even birds needed their beauty sleep. Aside from the restless city skyline behind the apartment's balcony, it seemed like activity in the small home had ceased for the night.

He looked toward the edges of Athena's bedroom door and noted that the light in the room had been turned off. Blackquill deduced that she had probably fallen asleep long before he had arrived home, much to his disappointment. He had been looking forward to seeing her after work, though it was now apparent that his attempt to be home early was now fruitless. More than he would like to admit, Athena had grown on him, each day he spent with her. Someway, somehow, she always found a way to make him smile and the troubles that plagued him seemed more distant in her company. In a way he had yet to completely figure out, he might have even _loved_ her.

Without any further care, Blackquill tossed his overcoat on top of the couch where he usually slept and headed toward the bathroom with no other intention but to wash up before falling asleep himself. As he opened the door, a spray of hot steam escaped from the shower, followed by a woman's piercing screech. It only took moments to realize the bathroom's former occupant.

"Simon!" Athena shrieked, wet orange hair draped down her body, helping to covering up most of her bare backside. With a nearby towel, she tried to cover the rest of her body. His once fatigued body had fully woken up, though it wasn't enough to stop him from freezing in place in shock or prevent his cheeks from glowing pink.

"Haven't you heard of manners, like knocking before entering a bathroom!?" Athena continued to shout, holding the towel put with a fist.

"Hmph! Knocking on a bathroom door doesn't apply in prison, I practically slept next to my toilet! " The flustered Blackquill attempted to defend his actions, but his face had been heating up as if he had a fever. Seppuku was starting to sound attractive.

"I don't need to know of that!" Athena's eyes narrowed in disgust as she slammed the door against his nose. "Besides, this isn't prison. It's MY damn apartment!" Athena's expletives became muffled from behind the closed door.

"Silence!" He growled, glaring at the closed door. "You practically forced me to stay here, so it is like a prison. All I wanted to use was the restroom and now you're upset with me? Besides, have you forgotten how to lock the door?"

Athena did not answer back, the arguing voices finally ceasing. Blackquill inhaled a deep breath to calm himself, facing away from the bathroom door. It was just an accident after all.

After several moments, he heard the door knob twist open. "Sorry Simon. I…I just didn't expect you to be home." Athena said from behind the door, finally stepping out. "With how complicated work is for you right now, I expected you'd be out a little longer. Much longer."

"I guess I was partially at fault. I should've mentioned to you earlier that I would be home sooner. If it makes you feel better Athena, I saw almost nothing and…"He quickly shut himself up before foolishly muttering something incriminating.

After several more breaths, Blackquill finally grew the nerves to confront Athena. Her hair had been combed straight down and she was dressed in yellow silk night dress, barely long enough to cover the bottom creases of her butt. On the front, the edges had been laced with accents of blue and traced the curves of her breasts. Underneath the thin fabric, her nipples protruded through, exposing their shape.

"Well you're sure dressed up for something." He remarked, feeling a flash of heat from his face again. She was beautiful, but the small dress made her all the more stunning to him. He looked away, but kept a small peripheral glance at her. She usually didn't sleep in such things. In fact, it had been the first time seeing her sleep in anything but her usual pajamas.

Blackquill began to question her intentions. Was she expecting someone? Perhaps, even himself? No, she couldn't be. Athena didn't expect him to be home at the time he arrived. She was young and beautiful, but to try and impress him of all people?

"_Of course not. Simon you old fool."_ Blackquill immediately dismissed the thought, his own logic quietly killing him inside.

"I didn't realize you were expecting a visitor or something like that. I'll leave if I need to. It is as you say, your apartment after all." He said, exponentially more disappointed than he had been earlier. He picked up his overcoat from the couch, forcing the strongest smile he could. At the very least, he could at least give her some privacy.

"Simon, are you…sad?" Athena furrowed her eyebrows, keeping her fists to her sides. Bright blue eyes looked toward his, as if trying to read through them.

His mind became blank, upon realizing his mistake; even in the subtlest vibrations of words, Athena could hear his heart's emotions. And alas, his stupid little heart was like a parrot proclaiming his deepest secrets to the world.

"…I think hear it, Simon." Athena's cheeks rose to a pink.

"Hear what? Is Taka screaming outside? Don't worry I'll take him before I leave so he doesn't disturb you." Simon said, desperately trying to mask his heart's voice with lies. Instead, it kept shouting itself loud and clear for her. He turned away, attempting to fight his own emotions.

"No Simon, it's not that at all. Your heart…" She continued to insist, much to his own chagrin.

"Silence!" He bellowed. Though there were many times he had uttered the phrase to her in the court room, this time, it had sounded affectionate and he too heard it. With each word he said, he unintentionally exposed himself to her, a little more. Now he had exposed too much. Like a disgraced samurai, he kept his arms close to his body and his fingers locked away into a fist, as if shutting himself away from others. But the efforts were in vain, when soft fingers found themselves on top of his.

"It isn't nice to tell your heart to be quiet." Athena whispered behind him. "I tried because I was so scared that you'd always see me as that little girl and never feel the same. Or even lose the relationship we have." Simon looked back at her, his dark eyes wide in astonishment. "I even went out on whim to get this stupid outfit, so at least you'd think of me a little differently. The way I always felt about you. "

Blackquill gripped her hand tighter, her soft skin curled around his fingers. "Athena? So everything you're telling me…is it absolutely true?"

"Of course Simon. This entire time, I've been trying to help the same samurai that protected me 7 years ago. When you first visited… your heart sounded so despaired, like it forgot what the future was. I hated how you saw the world like that, so I tried to help by getting your mind off of everything that was in the past." He turned around, her deep blue eyes almost in tears. "But guess along the way, my own heart happened to fall in love with that same samurai."

His lips moved into a smile, a genuine smile that he could only achieve around Athena. With a gentle motion, he moved his lips toward hers and shut his eyes close to savor the moment. It had been seven long years since he had the privilege to feel the warmth any other person; possibly longer since he had the pleasure to touch a woman. Yet at the very moment, for the first time in his life, he felt connection with Athena that he had never felt with any other person.

"Thanks Athena. I guess my heart had been waiting for the right person to set it free." What had once been his mentor's greatest treasure had become his own prize. Blackquill wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her body closer to his.

"Hey, um... Simon?" Athena said, her cheeks returning pink. Athena's hand slowly slid down his torso, a small smile on her face. Her fingers soon found themselves on top of his crotch, a bulge that had been growing underneath his pants. Athena looked up to him, her cheeks becoming pink. "Are you?"

Blackquill reciprocated the blush, giving her a small grin. "Sorry, I didn't expect to come home to you, wearing a skimpy, little garment for me. I simply couldn't help myself." He kissed her gently on the forehead, his fingers messing up her burnt orange hair a little. "It's fine, no need to worry yourself about it. It is quite early for us anyways."

"But Simon, its obvious you want it." She tiptoed herself to reach Blackquill's lips and pressed a smooth, passionate kiss upon them. "...and maybe I want it too."

Blackquill felt his heartbeat rise as Athena unbuttoned each button on his suit, his chest becoming bare within moments. She left a small kiss on top of his sternum, grazing the rest of his body with her fingers.

"Gomennasai, Cykes-sensei." He whispered into the air as his sweaty fingers slowly slid under the back of her dress. With his free hand, he began to unzip the yellow garment from her body and allowed it to slide down to their feet. He looked down to her exposed breasts and began grazing the hard nipple with his fingers. Without hesitation, Blackquill wrapped his arms under her butt and lifted her up before planting a kiss on the top of

her breasts. With a gentle motion, he set her down on the couch, his body towering over her.

A giggle escaped from Athena's lips as she spread her body across the couch. She leaned up, her hands stroking his crotch area once more. Her fingers moved on to the buckle of his belt, undoing it and the zipper. With her slight motions, Blackquill felt himself throbbing in his pants, like a sword itching to be drawn for battle. As Athena finally dropped his boxers to the floor, a large erection escaped.

"Let's do this." Athena whispered into his left ear, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling Blackquill closer to the body he had so desired.

He took a moment to admire the delicate curves of her body, running a hand down her inner thighs, separating her legs in the process. In one gradual movement, he gently inched the tip of member into her, as if a blade slowly sinking beneath soft skin. Athena had came a little, as he pushed his member in deeper. It had been a very long time since he felt such a sensation, the warmth a woman in such a way. The walls of her vagina seemed to resist him a bit, but Blackquill made his best effort to push himself deeper inside.

"S-Simon!" Athena suddenly gasped. Her breathing tensed as her small hands gripped the tight muscles of his forearm. "It kinda hurts."

Athena's face quickly eased as Blackquill pulled himself out. "Athena…would I happen to be your first?" He asked, a concerned tone in his voice.

Her cheeks splashed in an embarrassed pink, as she nodded a yes. It surprised him a little, though he himself only had a little experience prior. "If you're in pain, then we can stop. We don't have to go this far." Blackquill said, as his hand stroked her cheek, a sweet smile forming on his face. "It's my duty to protect you, after all."

"But Simon…" Athena whispered, as her trembling lips moved toward his. "I want you to keep going." Her soft warm tongue slipped his lips, fondling his own tongue. A thread of saliva continued to connect them as their lips began to separate. She gave him a sultry grin, as she wrapped her legs around his waist. "I've wanted this so long. Please don't stop now."

"Fine. If it is as you wish, princess. Now, just try to relax your muscles again..." He said, as he slowly massaged her hood with his fingers, until they became wet with her natural lubricants. With extra caution, he reinserted himself inside of her, gently prodding her clit with the tip of his member, cautious to not make quick or sudden movements that would cause her too much pain. Though there were initial winces of discomfort, her once pained face soon smoothed out with moans of pleasure as he gradually inserted his entire girth inside of her. He teased her with light motions, continuing to toy with her clitoris.

"More, Simon!" Athena begged through small moans as her vaginal muscles tighten around his member. Her hands gripped the sides of the sofa cushion, her eyelids shutting to a close.

Like a faithful and dedicated servant, he obeyed her command, rhythmically thrusting himself in and out. Athena's body began to stiff up, under him, her hands gripped onto what she could hold on the couch. Blackquill felt himself grow inside of her, his own body demanding him to finish the job. Athena's inside muscles continued to tighten around him, making each thrust more difficult than the last. But this nurtured his determination, pressing himself inside of her.

After several more shoves, her body began to tremble below him, a final moan escaping from her lips. In moments, their thighs had been soaked in her juices, her eyes lost in euphoria. Finally no longer able to contain himself, Blackquill released his seed within her, the mixture of their efforts dripping down her legs and onto the couch.

Blackquill laid down beside her, pulling her close. A weak smile formed on Athena's face, as she inched toward him, to share a final kiss with him. With his fingers, he brushed her burnt orange hair which had become tussled and tangled in their actions. He watched as her eyelids shut closed, his own body almost depleted from energy.

"I love you."

* * *

Athena had fallen asleep, her head laid upon Blackquill's chest and her body still bare. With a free hand, he reached for his overcoat and blanketed her body with it, the Blackquill family emblem rested on top of her shoulder. He beamed at the sight and kissed her lips one more time before finally attempting to fall asleep himself.

Blackquill was used to having long nights, spending the majority of the past seven years, just thinking of what were to become of him. Never would he have guessed that road brought him here, nor if there was a road left for him. The phantoms of the past had ceased to exist and now _she_ was all that mattered to him now. No one else, but Athena.

He pulled her closer to him, making the most of what little room the small couch had for them. If Athena was what the future had in store for him, he was more than ready to face it. She was the reason he could live, and now she the reason why he wanted to live.

He had found his princess, except she was the one who finally set him free.

* * *

_Comments & Critiques always welcomed. This is my first lemon, so let me know what you think and where I can improve. Also, a good chunk of the lemon got cut (due to plot purposes), but if there's enough of a demand, I'll try to polish what I had as a 3rd chapter._  
_Most of all, thanks for reading! ~ KyuTeaPie_


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